Apparatus and manufacturing process of carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method of carbon nanotube (CNT) gate field effect transistor (FET), which is used to replace the current metal gate of transistor for decreasing the gate width greatly. The carbon nanotube has its own intrinsic characters of metal and semiconductor, so it can be the channel, connector or next-level gate of transistor. Furthermore, the transistor has the structure of exchangeable source and drain, and can be defined the specificity by outside wiring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to an apparatus and manufacturing processof carbon nanotube gate FET, for the carbon nanotube can be the channel,connector or next-level gate of transistor, and the source and drain oftransistor can be exchanged and defined the specificity by outsidewiring.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] As entering the age of nano scale, the device is getting smaller,so fabricating the nano-scale devices using nano-scale matter becomesthe trend of progress, eg. the CNT-FET bases on CNT material. But thegate width of transistor is still limited by conventional process ofsputtering, metal-screen-printing and etching.

[0005] Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram showing thestructure of carbon nanotube transistor in the prior art. First at all,depositing an oxide layer 12 above a silicon substrate 11, and the oxidelayer 12 could be SiO2. Then depositing a metal thin film to be source13 a and drain 13 b respectively, and patterning using the method ofphotolithographic etching, and coating the carbon nanotube 14 betweenthe source 13 a and drain 13 b. Immersing the device into a gas withcarbon is applied for the process of coating CNT on the oxide layer 12,and be the conducting channel among the electrodes. Finally, depositinga gate-insulated layer 15 above source 13 a, drain 13 b and carbonnanotube 14, then sputtering a metal layer 16, which is the gate ofdevice.

[0006] In the prior art of IBM who announced a 260 nm CNT-FET, but thegate of device is still the metal material mainly, eg. Al, Ti. So thesize of device in this prior art is limited by the process ofsemiconductor.

[0007] Therefore, for decreasing the gate width, there needs to providethe CNT to replace the conventional metal gate. And the CNT can be thechannel, connector or next-level gate of transistor with the specificityof metal and semiconductor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is a primary object of the present invention to provide anapparatus and manufacturing process of CNT gate FET, which is used toreplace the current metal gate of transistor for decreasing the gatewidth greatly. The CNT has its own intrinsic characters of metal andsemiconductor, so it can be the channel, connector or next-level gate oftransistor. Furthermore, the transistor has the structure ofexchangeable source and drain, and can be defined the specificity byoutside wiring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The objects, spirits and advantages of the preferred embodimentsof the present invention will be readily understood by the accompanyingdrawings and detailed descriptions, wherein:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of carbonnanotube transistor in the prior art;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of carbonnanotube gate transistor in accordance with one preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the steps of process of CNT gateFET in accordance with one preferred embodiment of present invention.

[0013]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the connecting of CNT gateFET in accordance with one preferred embodiment of present invention.

[0014]FIG. 5 is an I-V curve chart showing the CNT gate N-type FET inaccordance with one preferred embodiment of present invention.

[0015]FIG. 6 is an I-V curve chart showing the CNT gate P-type FET inaccordance with one preferred embodiment of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method ofcarbon nanotube (CNT) gate field effect transistor (FET), which is usedto replace the current metal gate of transistor. That can decrease thegate width greatly to the nano-scale range, and work well in this kindof scale. Also, the carbon nanotube has its own intrinsic characters ofmetal and semiconductor, so the gate, source and drain of the transistorcan be exchanged. Then, it can be defined the device's specificity byoutside wiring, and present the same characters with regular transistor.

[0017] Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a schematic diagram showing thestructure of carbon nanotube gate transistor in accordance with onepreferred embodiment of the present invention. To begin with, there is asilicon substrate 21 existed on the bottom layer, and there is anotherisolated layer 22 deposited above, the isolated layer 22 is usuallyimplemented by oxide material. Then, to deposit source 23 a and drain 23b of transistor on the isolated layer 22 separately. Wherein, the source23, is an electrode placed above said isolated layer, the drain 23 b isan electrode placed above said isolated layer. Next, to deposit achannel layer 24, which made by carbon nanotube material, above thesource 23 a, drain 23 b and the channel layer 24, and connect them eachother further. The channel layer 24 is the conducting channel betweensource 23 a and drain 23 b. There is another gate-insulated layer 25used to isolate a gate 26, which is made by carbon nanotube, from thesource 23 a and the drain 23 b.

[0018] In FIG. 3, which is a flow chart showing the steps of process ofCNT gate FET of present invention, the steps comprise: depositing anisolated layer above a silicon substrate (step 31), the isolated layeris used to insulate from other components of device; then, depositing ametal thin film on the isolated layer, which is patterned by the methodof photolithography etching, for used to be the source and drain ofdevice electrodes (step 32); after that, coating a channel layer betweenthe drain and the source (step 33), and the channel layer is made bycarbon nanotube material, that is the first material adopted carbonnanotube in this invention, and used to be the conducting channelbetween the source and drain; depositing a gate-insulated layer abovethe channel layer, which is deposited between a gate and the channellayer and be insulated the gate from source, drain and the channel layeras recited above (step 34); depositing a metal thin film, which ispatterned by the method of photolithography, is used to be thetransistor's gate junction (step 35). The metal region is formed by themetal thin film, which is patterned and used to be the gate-junction forbio-sample testing. Receiving the end step, coating the gate, which ismade by carbon nanotube material above the metal region and used be thegate electrode of device, this is the second material adopted carbonnanotube in this invention (step 36).

[0019] As recited above, the apparatus of carbon nanotube gate of fieldeffect transistor of the invention is achieved, that will bemulti-function CNT-FET whose specificity can be learned by anyelectronic measurement.

[0020] The carbon nanotube has its own intrinsic characters of metal andsemiconductor, so the source and drain can be exchanged and be definedthe specificity by outside wiring. If let the carbon nanotube gate 26,which showed in FIG. 2, connect each other with a plurality of CNT-FET,or connect the plurality of source and the drain with each other, thatcan be the logic gate, P-type or N-type transistor generally.

[0021] Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a schematic diagram showing theconnecting of CNT gate FET of present invention. There are a pluralityof CNT-FETs with CNT-gate connected serially with each other by thegates, furthermore, there are also a plurality of CNT-FETs with CNT-gateconnected parallel with each other by the sources and drains of thedevices. As showed in FIG. 4, the first gate 41 and the second gate 42are connected with a plurality of CNT-FETs through the first CNT 45. thesource 43 and drain 44 are connected through second CNT 46 to generatethe conducing channel as the metal material. And inside the transistordevice, the characters of device can be defined by the outside wiring,and not limited by design of prior ones.

[0022] Refer to FIG. 5, this is a I-V curve chart showing the CNT gateN-type FET as recited above. The horizontal axis stands for the voltageof source and drain, and the vertical axis stands for the currentgenerated from drain. In this curve chart, the voltage goes through theends of source and drain is 0 to 1.0 volt, we can learn that is thecharacter of N-type FET from the I NV curve in this curve chart. Thatmeans the CNT channel of CNT-FET can turn off smoothly in the conditionof nano-scale gate width, and achieve the purpose of replacing the gateelectrode by CNT-gate.

[0023] Otherwise, if that changes the connection of device electrodesshowed in FIG. 4 reversely, i.e. to connect to the first gate 41 andsecond gate 42 with the voltage connected to source and drainoriginally, that conducting channel changes from original second CNT 46to first CNT 45 showed in FIG. 4. On account of the CNT has its owncharacters of metal and semiconductor, the second CNT 46 will be the CNTof P-channel, i.e. the original N-type CNT-FET changes to P-type CNT-FETwhose I/V curve showed on FIG. 6, which is an I-V curve chart showingthe CNT gate P-type FET. The present invention shows the characters ofmulti-function transistor with the behavior of electronic hole/electroncarriers in device truly.

[0024] According to the above discussion, the present inventiondiscloses an apparatus and manufacturing process of carbon nanotube gateFET, which is used to replace the current metal gate of transistor fordecreasing the gate width greatly. The CNT in device can be the channelregion, connector and the next-level gate. Therefore, the presentinvention has been examined to be progressive, advantageous andapplicable to the industry.

[0025] Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated withreference to particular embodiments, the principles involved aresusceptible for use in numerous other embodiments that will be apparentto persons skilled in the art. This invention is, therefore, to belimited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A apparatus of carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor, which is used to replace a current metal gate of transistor by the carbon nanotube material, said apparatus including: an isolated layer, which is deposited on a substrate; a source, which is an electrode placed above said isolated layer; a drain, which is an electrode placed above said isolated layer; a channel layer, which is made by carbon nanotube material, and connected between said source and drain; a gate-insulated layer, which is deposited above said source, said drain and said channel layer; and a gate, which is made by carbon nanotube material, and isolated from said source, said drain and said channel layer by said gate-insulated layer.
 2. The apparatus of carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor as recited claim 1, wherein said channel layer is the conducting channel between said source and said drain.
 3. The apparatus of carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor as recited claim 1, wherein a plurality of said carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor are connected serially by a plurality of said gate.
 4. The apparatus of carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor as recited claim 1, wherein a plurality of said carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor are connected parallel by a plurality of said source and a plurality of said drain.
 5. The apparatus of carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor as recited claim 3, wherein the plurality of said gate are connected by a plurality of carbon nanotube.
 6. The apparatus of carbon nanotube gate field effect transistor as recited claim 4, wherein the plurality of said source and the plurality of said drain are connected by the plurality of carbon nanotube. 7-10(canceled). 